


Finding Home

by orphan_account



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, F/M, Friendship, M/M, Multi, Protective Percy, Slow Build, Threesome - F/M/M, Trust
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-09-30
Packaged: 2018-04-08 07:46:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4296513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy has been on his own since his parents were taken by the virus. It was better that way. He thought that until he came across another group of kids. They take him prisoner, and all Percy can think about was leaving. Can someone convince him otherwise?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Annabeth, your pet is up," the smaller boy called, and Percy scowled. What is up with these people and names?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Finding Home
> 
> Fandom: Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or Heroes of Olympus, sadly. Rick Riordan does. No money is made, but I do like reviews!

Chapter One: Meetings

Percy cursed as the creatures kept coming. He slashed and hacked everywhere with his sword. But when he killed one, two more took it's place.

Percy ran. He ran to the woods, and knew that the remaining ones were hot on his trail.

He turned around and sliced another one. Then he ran again.

The teen looked back, but didn't see anything. He strained his ears, but couldn't hear anything.

Percy huffed and sat on a stump. The boy knew it was dangerous, but he needed to catch his breath.

The day had started so good! He had found fresh meat, gotten clean clothes and new shoes, and had refilled his supply of water! But then the walkers had to come.

Grumbling under his breath, he found a tree that had a thick branch sprouting from the side about twenty feet up.

Percy started climbing and made himself comfy on the branch. He smiled dryly. The boy never thought his life would be like this.

It had started with an experiment. Scientists were trying to find a way to be stronger against diseases, hunger and thirst. They thought they had gotten it, and had injected it into themselves. They had gotten it. But not in the way they imagined. They were immune to sickness, and thirst. But they would turn into things that felt a strong urge to do anything to survive. They couldn't really be called humans. The virus had taken their humanity away. All that was left was the instinct to eat. To survive. Because the scientists didn't take away the hunger. So the things needed to eat. And the poor humans they chose to feed on either were eaten, or survived. But they could survive with their humanity intact, or becoming the one thing every human fears. A zombie.

But they weren't like the shows. They were just as fast and strong as when they were a human. They weren't really smart because all they had was instinct now. But they knew how to carry weapons.

Percy shook his head. Him and his family had started leaving New York. It was too dangerous there. But his mother and Paul had become zombies.

Percy had killed them. He killed them because he knew his mother and Paul didn't want to be those things. So he put them down.

The teen didn't know if he was the only human left on Earth. He hasn't run in to anyone else. Percy was alone. And maybe it was better that way. He couldn't handle losing another person close to him. It might break him.

The raven haired boy tied himself to the tree, making sure his backpack was safe. He looked up at the stars, remembering his mother's smile. He remembered feeling safe when he was with her and Paul. But then he started to remember how they were bitten. How Percy had screamed. How they killed the zombies trying to eat them, but not without a price. Both adults were bitten. They had told Percy to run, but he had refused. Then they turned into the things Percy had grown to hate. And the boy had put them both down with one slash of his sword.

The boy swallowed. The past was the past. He can't do anything about it. He just needed to survive. Percy fell asleep, chanting the word survive in his head over and over again. That was all that mattered.

_/Line Break\_

Percy woke up to the sound of a chainsaw. A chainsaw?

He looked down and saw some figures trying to cut down the tree. What the hell? Percy didn't know the zombies knew how to use chainsaws!

He could tell that they were zombies by the look in their eyes. The eyes looked empty. No emotions or anything. And the blood on their shirt helped him identify if they were zombies.

The teen cursed and grabbed his backpack. He had long dagger strapped to his right thigh, his sword attached to his waist in the scabbard, and a pistol. Though, he didn't use that because there was no ammo. The boy kept it just in case.

He could hear the stupid chainsaw again, and he decided to jump to the next tree. That didn't work very well though.

"Ow," Percy screeched as he landed on a sturdy branch. His voice sounded like it went an octave higher.

Of course the stupid things heard that and turned towards him. Then moved and tried to cut down the tree he was on. Crap. Well, time for Plan B.

He jumped from tree to tree, going on lower branches each time. Finally, when he deemed it safe, he jumped to the ground, tucking his legs in and rolling.

Moans and groans came up from behind him. Percy started running. He could hear the zombies chasing after him.

"Crap," he muttered and unseathed his sword while running. Might as well be prepared.

He turned on the road he was running on. Then he faltered. Well, he was screwed. A building towered over him. A prison.

He turned around, sword in his right and dagger in his left. If he was going to go down, he was going down fighting.

The zombies were upon him. Percy whirled with his weapons, taking down a creature with every swipe. But it wasn't enough. They were overpowering him.

Then he could hear a whizzing sound, then a thud. The zombies turned their heads to look at the same time.

Percy was confused. Why did they stop attacking him? He was grateful, but what the heck was this?

He turned his head to look where the zombies were looking. Then a breath got caught in his throat.

By the entrance of the iron gate stood a girl. She had curly blonde hair tied up in a pony tail. It was whipping in the wind. She also had crossbow in her hands. Awesome.

The girl shot another time, and the zombies watched as it took out another one. The yelled and ran towards her.

Percy tried to help her. He started slashing at all the zombies in the back, running after them. The girl whipped out a knife and started destroying the zombies. One by one.

Together, they got rid of all of them pretty quick. Percy stared at his savior. She had calculating grey eyes and looked about the same age he is.

"C'mon," she yelled over the wind. "We gotta go before more come!"

She opened up the gate and ushered the boy in. He watched as she got out a huge key and locked the gate from the inside. The iron gate was the only entrance. From here, Percy could see that the iron gate stopped at both sides of the prison. There were watchtowers and two doors that looked very heavy.

She ran up to the doors and knocked. It took a few seconds, but the huge door opened. The girl stared at him, and Percy realized that she was waiting for him. He sprinted up to her.

"Follow me," she said, and walked inside.

"Hey, Annabeth," said a curly haired boy. "Who's the stray?"

Percy scowled at being called a stray. This guy knew nothing about him!

"I dunno," the girl, Annabeth shrugged. "Found him outside the prison. Was fighting a huge group of walkers."

The other boy nodded and stared at the taller boy thoughtfully. He looked dangerous. Battle hardened face with a mean looking sword.

"You know the rules," chided the brunette boy. "Gotta keep him locked up until we know his motives."

Annabeth huffed. Percy frowned. What? Locked up?

His vision went black.

_/Line Break\_

Percy groaned and rubbed his head. Where the heck was he? He realized he was sleeping on a bed. The boy never did that. Sleeping on a bed was a luxury he couldn't afford.

Then he noticed the bars. He was inside a prison cell! The teen took in his surroundings. A bunk bed. A toilet with a sink. Other than that, it was bare.

"Let me out!" he yelled.

He ran up to the bars and tried to look out. He could see a hallway with even more cells. It was white and bare, like his room. A cell block. The hallway stopped on the right with a door. It had a big skull on it.

On his left he could see a turn. That was where the other door was. By the door was another boy. He had dark wavy hair with dark brown eyes. The boy had a sword by his side and a pistol in his hand. That's when Percy noticed that he was missing all of his weapons.

"Where am I?" Percy demanded.

The other boy just raised an eyebrow at the raven haired teen. He opened up the door with a ring of keys. The younger boy stuck his head out.

Percy panicked and looked around his cell. He flipped his mattress, but under it was just a metal frame. He couldn't get a weapon from that. He ran to the sink and tried to pull off the pipe, but it didn't budge.

"Annabeth, your pet is up," the smaller boy called, and Percy scowled. What is up with these people and names?

Out came the girl from earlier. She looked like she had just gotten cleaned up. He took a moment to actually look at her. Blonde curly hair in a messy ponytail. Startling grey eyes. Lean and toned with tanned skin.

"You knocked me out!" he accused. She shrugged, looking unapologetic.

"Security reasons," she replied. "Jason would've killed me if I had let you through with a weapon and no handcuffs."

Percy frowned. How many people were here? He knows there is at least four.

"C'mon," she unlocked the door. He slowly walked out, wary of her and the other boy.

"Hands in front," she ordered. "Together."

Percy was confused. Why would he need his hands out. His question was answered when she held up a pair of handcuffs.

"You're not putting those things on me," he declined. Annabeth arched an eyebrow.

"You don't get a choice," she says. "Now hands out."

He glared at her. "No."

She sighed and looked at Nico. He shrugged.

"Fine," she said. "If you can beat me in a fight, I'll let you go. Hand to hand combat."

Percy snorted. That would be easy. He has more muscle on her and has been on his own longer.

"Deal," he said confidently and stuck out his hand. She shook it, and Percy was confused why the pale boy hat burst out laughing.

"Good luck," he said, grinning. Percy arched an eyebrow.

"I won't need it," he replied. That only made the boy laugh harder.

"Nico, shut up," Annabeth told him, amused. He stared at her.

"But it's funny," he whined. "He thinks he can beat you!"

Percy scowled. "I probably can. I've been on my own since the virus started."

The other boy, Nico stared. "This long on your own? Nice."

Percy stood up straighter in pride.

"Ready," the blonde rolled her eyes.

The taller boy nodded, getting into ready stance.

They circled each other for a few seconds, but Percy got impatient and charged. He struck out with his fist, and Annabeth casually dodged. She swept a foot under his legs, and her opponent jumped, but lost his balance. She waited for him to catch his balance. Percy did a right hook, but the blonde ducked. The boy stumbled forward, and Annabeth leaned to the left and elbowed Percy in the back, effectively making him lose his balance and fall. She stood above him, arms crossed.

"Now you have to put on the cuffs," she told him in a bored voice. "I beat you."

Percy scrambled up, face burning. He glared at Nico, who was hiding his laughter in his arm.

He reluctantly held out his wrists, and she snapped on the handcuffs.

"Follow me," she ordered and walked out the door. He huffed.

"Shut up," he told Nico as he walked past the younger boy.

Annabeth led him through another blank hallway before stopping in front of another locked door. She pulled out her ring of many keys and unlocked the door, motioning for Percy to come in.

It was a room with a few tables. Probably the cafeteria. Inside he found a group of kids. They were sitting at one round table. There were more than Percy thought.

There was a blonde that looked slightly younger than him. He had a scar over his mouth. On the right of him was a tan girl with dark hair in a braid. Next to her was the boy from the entrance. The curly haired one that looked like an elf. He had an arm wrapped around a dark skinned girl with dark curly hair. On her other side was a tall, muscular Asian boy with short hair. He was scowling at the elf. On the blonde boy's other side was a girl with chocolate hair and color changing eyes. They all looked clean and well fed. Unlike him.

"This is our little group of misfits," introduced Annabeth. She pulled out a chair and sat down in another. Percy awkwardly sat down. Everyone had stopped talking to stare at him.

"Who's he?" the blonde boy finally asked.

"I dunno," sighed Annabeth. "He won't tell me his name. Or anything really."

"Why did you bring him," the boy responded in a cold voice.

"He was about to be ripped apart by walkers, Jason," the girl said. "I couldn't just leave him out there!"

"I'm Leo," introduced the elf. "This is my friend Hazel," he wrapped an arm around the girl. "Frank," he pointed at the scowling Asian. "Reyna," he wrapped his other arm around the girl with the braid. "Jason," the boy grinned at the blonde. "And Piper," the last girl smiled at him.

"I'm Percy," growled the boy. "And I don't wanna be here." He glared at all the others.

"Percy," Jason said. "Handcuffs when you're not in the cell, and you're going to be supervised by a guard at all times."

Percy bared his teeth. "I'm not a child!"

"Yeah, but you are a threat," nodded Jason. "And I can't have you threatening my friends."

"What if I don't want to stay," challenged the raven haired teen.

The blonde boy shrugged. "It's not my problem."

"He's staying for the probation time," interrupted Annabeth. "We can always use extra people, and you should've seen this guy with a sword! If he wants to leave, we can knock him out drive him far away from the prison."

Percy winced at the prospect of getting knocked out again. Wait, drive?

Jason's sky blue eyes stared at her. "Fine. But he's getting part of your rations. He's your responsibility."

"You have a car?" blurted out the teen. All heads swiveled to look at him. "What? I haven't seen a running car since the virus took most of the population."

Annabeth nodded. "Well, Percy, you're gonna come with me to tour our little home."

Percy frowned. Home? They lived in a prison? But there was no exits at all. If the creatures got in, they would be trapped.

"Why do you live in a prison?" he asked as they were walking.

"I'll tell you later," Annabeth dismissed. "See these doors? With the skulls on them?" Percy nodded. "Don't go in there. Our group hasn't cleared the whole prison yet, so those probably have zombies in them."

"This is the kitchen," she motioned to two doors. "I wouldn't go in there. Piper and Leo are the ones who usually cook. They'd kill you if you got it dirty. And those are the showers."

They toured the place for a few minutes before the girl started walking him back to his room.

"So when the virus started, my family, Reyna's and Jason's family started moving away from the big cities. But our families weren't careful enough. They all either got bitten or died. Me, Jason, Reyna, Jason's older sister, and Reyna's older sister banded together. We picked up the rest of the group on the way. Thalia, Jason's sibling, and Hylla, Reyna's sibling left to join this all girls group. Which left us. We barely made it. Until we found the prison. It's great because you can lock down different parts of the prison like cell blocks and even individual cells so you can sleep knowing you're safe. The huge iron gate stops the zombies from trying to get in too. It's much more secure than out in the wild. And it helps when you have others." Annabeth gave a pointed look to Percy.

It actually was a smart idea. Only one entrance through the gate. One entrance to the actual prison. And there were doors for each room. And cell doors for sleeping.

"That's smart," he marveled.

She smirked. "I know. It has running water too. Thanks to Leo. He's a great mechanic. Come on. You stink and are in desperate need of a shower."

She unlocks his cell again and takes off, Percy quick to follow her. He leads him to a one door room, with Nico following.

"There's only one exit from the showers," he informs Percy. "If you come out before she does, I'll put a bullet through your head."

Percy just stared before walking into the shower. It was a blank room that had shower heads lined up against one wall. There was a bench in the middle, and windows. The teen thought about trying to escape, but thought better of it. The windows were up a lot higher than Percy could reach, and he wouldn't even be able to fit through them anyways.

"I brought you some clothes. Those aren't going to be wearable," she looked at his clothes. They were brown and red. His shirt and jeans were ripped in multiple places. Crap, he had just gotten these too.

"Jason looks about your size, she continued. "You look a bit thinner, but he's the closest size.

She held out an orange shirt and blue jeans. Percy just nodded his head.

The teen patiently waited for Annabeth to walk out and close the door before peeling off his clothes. The pants he had on we're very hard to peel off. They were like a second skin.

Percy turned the knob and stepped back instinctively when the icy cold water hit him. He went to turn the knob for the hot water, but stopped. There was no hot water. Electricity was very rare. Percy turned it anyways.

He gasped as warmer water hit him. A knock on the door interrupted his heaven.

"Hot water is limited!" Nico shouted through the door. "Once every two weeks you shower in warm water for three minutes. Don't waste it. I'm counting!"

Percy scrambled for the soap Annabeth left him. He groaned as he started scrubbing himself. Dirt and blood was washed down the drain.

"Times up!" Nico pounded the door.

Percy reluctantly turned off the water and turned to the bench to put on some clothes. He quickly threw them on and rushed out the door.

"How?" he whispered.

Nico snorted, but was silenced from a glare by the blonde next to him.

"Told you, we have Leo. He's special," she said.

Percy looked fresh, and Annabeth stared at him for a second. Raven hair that was swept to one side. He had the greenest eyes Annabeth had ever seen. Tall, thin. No, more like lean and muscled. She could see his smooth skin that was tanned.

"You look a lot better," she commented, holding out the cuffs. Percy scowled, but didn't put up a fight. After all, these people were taking him in, even if it was against his will.

"Where are we going?" he questioned. She looked back at him.

"Cafeteria for lunch. Eating potatoes again," she made a face. "If we could get our hands on actual seeds, we could have real, fresh food."

Percy snorted. "That's gonna happen when I agree to stay here."

Annabeth smiles mischievously. "Then I guess I'm gonna have to get you to stay. I want fresh fruit."

"Demanding," muttered the boy as he followed her to the mess hall.

Inside, all the others were sitting at the same table. Annabeth sat at the right of the head. Jason was sitting there. Percy walked slowly to the seat in between Annabeth and Leo. The Latino grinned and waved at the older boy.

"Potatoes and canned corn with ham for lunch again," Jason announced, and everyone groaned.

"We should go to that farm we saw the other day," called out Reyna. "Maybe we could find some meat and seeds."

"No," the blonde boy said firmly. "It's too dangerous. For all we know, the place could be crawling with walkers."

Everyone turned to stare at Annabeth. The blonde girl swallowed.

"I wouldn't be against going together the farm," she began. "But I'm not encouraging it either. Remember last time we weren't careful?"

Everyone bowed their heads. Last time, some of them had gone to a huge outlet mall to find some supplies. Four had gone, but only two came back. Annabeth and Jason had staggered back to the prison, being followed by a group of zombies. The other two, Luke and Bianca, hadn't made it.

"I vote we go to the farm," Reyna replied. "I'll go."

"Me too. Well, for going to the farm, not for me actually going," piped up Leo. "I'm a terrible fighter."

Murmurs of agreement rose up behind him. Everyone was sick of canned foods.

"Fine," Jason gritted out. "We'll go tomorrow. I'm going too." Percy had figured out that Jason was their unofficial leader.

"I'll go," volunteered Annabeth. Figures, she was the best strategic in their group.

"You," Jason pointed at Percy. "Are coming with us. See how useful you are."

"And how do ya know I won't just kill you and run away?" challenged Percy.

"You won't," the blonde said, chuckling. Percy scowled.

"Jason is our best fighter. Annabeth is the strategist, and Reyna is a great shot and can reload a gun so fast, it seems impossible," clarified Frank. "We're pretty confident you wouldn't be able to escape."

"You haven't seen me in action," countered the raven haired boy.

"You're outnumbered," Piper spoke up. "Most likely, you wouldn't stand a chance."

Percy gritted his teeth, but he knew the native American was right. He probably would be shot down before even trying to engage in combat.

"We'll leave tomorrow morning," Jason announced. "Keep a leash on your pet, Annabeth. We can't afford to loose anyone else."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So I was playing with this idea when I was riding on the plane, and I started to write it. I'm probably not going to update it in a while because I'm working on two other multiple chapter stories, and I plan to finish them. Percy is hostile towards everyone, but is opening up to Annabeth. And the zombies aren't like normal ones. Next chapter will feature them going to raid the farm. Tell me what you think, like, and what I can fix in the reviews. See ya!  
> 


	2. Raiding A Farm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Will," he said. "Will Solace. Thank you for not leaving me behind."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Finding Home
> 
> Fandom: Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or Heroes of Olympus, sadly. Rick Riordan does. No money is made, but I do like reviews!

Chapter 2: Raiding A Farm

Percy woke up to the smell of something delicious. He sniffed the air, his eyes still closed. He snapped them open and saw Annabeth carrying a plate with the delicious smell.

He tilted his head, his mouth watering. The green eyes asked the question. Annabeth chuckled.

"Frank went hunting in the woods today. He caught a buck with his bow, he's a really good shot. Leo made a fire and cooked it with potatoes. It's one of the best meals we've had so far. Eat," she ushered and handed him the plate.

Percy grabbed it and the silverware she handed him. A fork and a knife. He cocked an eyebrow.

"You trust me with this?" he said, his voice raspy from sleep and lack of water. He held up the silver knife.

"Yeah," the blonde said. "And even if you did decide to attack me, remember our last fight?"

"I would have the upper hand." countered Percy. "I'm the one with the weapons."

"If you did get the keys," she started, leaving out the part where he probably would've killed her. "You would be shot in a second."

He shrugged. "Fair enough." He quickly cut a huge piece of meat off and shoved it in his mouth. He grunted as it went down his mouth. It was delicious, but it really hurt going down.

"Oh, sorry," Annabeth looked apologetic as she handed him a bottle of water.

The boy twisted off the cap and started chugging it. It was room temperature, and one of the best things he'd tasted in his whole life. Aside from pizza. Pizza was delicious.

He dug in the meal vigorously, not caring about manners. He cut off huge pieces of meat and chewed quickly. He was done with half the meal before he slowed down. This was the best food he's had since the apocalypse started. He wanted to savor it.

"Thanks," he said once he finished. Percy was tempted to lick the plate clean, but thought better of it. He hasn't lost all the things his mom had drilled into his head.

"No problem," Annabeth responded, smiling a little.

Percy realized the position he was in. She had the keys in her pocket. He saw them. He could stab her with the knife, or break the plate over her head. Then grab the keys and sneak out. Jason and Reyna were getting ready for their trip. Leo and Frank were probably tired from the hunt, and Hazel was watching over the two boys. Even though she was dating Frank, they both had strong feelings for Leo, he could see it. So those five he didn't have to worry about. Piper was probably sleeping, she likes to sleep in. Nico, well Percy might encounter him. But Percy had the element of surprise. He could take out the boy, grab his weapons, and run.

Annabeth watched him carefully, her muscles tensing. She could see what was going through his head. She needed to be ready. She watched him stand, her grey eyes analyzing him wearily. He had the silverware and plate in his hand. The blonde was a bit surprised when he thrusted them out to her.

"No," he said. "Thanks for everything." For taking him into a safe place, even if it was against his will. For giving him a bed, food, and water. For safety.

"You need to be ready for the big trip today," the blonde shrugged. She grabbed the plate. "I'll be right back."

He watched her walk out the door, and asked himself why he didn't take the chance. He could've gotten her weapons too. The gun in her pocket could've helped him take out Nico. It would of been a perfect plan. So why didn't he do it?

His thoughts were interrupted when the blonde girl came back to his cell. She carried handcuffs with her.

"Hands in front," she ordered, and Percy didn't even fight. He stuck his hands out and watched as she cuffed them.

"Follow me," she said and walked out of the cell. He stared for a second before following her. Percy saw her take out her keys and unlock a heavy door.

She walked inside, Percy following behind her. He took a look around. All around the walls were all kinds of weapons. Guns, crossbows, swords, knives. Mostly guns.

"Most of them ran out of ammo," Annabeth's voice piped up.

Percy's gaze landed on a familiar sword. "Hey, that's mine!"

"As I said before, necessary precautions," she said, looking unapologetic. "We couldn't have a dangerous person with a weapon here without knowing their motives."

"Why'd you take me here," he questioned. "What would Jason say?"

"I'm not going to make you come with us to a zombie infested farm with no weapons," she snorted. "That's just mean."

He watched her stride up to him and start unlocking the cuffs. He was surprised. Percy rubbed his free wrists and stared suspiciously.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" he raised an eyebrow. "You're giving me free reign around the prison and I'm surrounded by weapons."

"Would you rather us take you to the farm with handcuffs on?" she asked, holding up the cuffs. "We need to trust that you won't try to kill us when we're at the farm. It could save our lives."

Percy watched as she grabbed his sword and tossed it to him. He caught it, staring incredulously. Annabeth grabbed a bronze dagger.

"It's better if you have some sort of blade on you," she informed the raven haired boy. "In case the walkers are on you before you can reload or you run out of bullets."

He nodded in agreement. He learned that the hard way when he saw his best friend, Grover, be killed by a bunch of walkers because his gun had to be reloaded, but the creatures were on him. He had yelled for Percy to run as he started swinging with his fists. Percy had watched, horrified as the zombies basically ripped apart Grover. He'd vowed to himself to travel alone from now on. It was easier. You didn't have to worry about others. You didn't have to worry if they would die.

"Catch," she tossed him a sharp dagger. It was curved, razor sharp on one side, blunt on the other. The handle had ridges for a firm grip. Annabeth grabbed a shotgun and swung the strap across her shoulder.

"Why don't I get a gun?" Percy inquired, tilting his head.

"Jason would never let you handle a gun," she laughed. "You could shoot us at a distance. With a sword and knife, you'd have to get close. And you wouldn't make it."

Percy's eyebrows furrowed. "How am I supposed to get the walkers that are far ahead?"

"Let us handle that," the blonde replied. "Reyna is the best shot we have."

Percy nodded and grabbed his scabbard. He sheathed Riptide and balanced the dagger in his left hand, getting a feel for the weapon. "I'm a horrible shot anyway."

He felt Annabeth's gaze on him, and he realized the position he was in. He could attack her now, grab the pistol, shoot anyone in his way, and run.

"C'mon," she beckoned. "Jay is probably waiting for us."

He followed her out the door and watched as he locked the door.

"Don't want the zombies getting in there," she said. "This door has to e heavily locked just in case."

The teen boy nodded. Made sense. He followed her into the cafeteria, seeing Jason and Reyna already there. Jason's blue eyes narrowed at him.

"Why does he have a weapon, Annabeth?" he asked, his tone hostile.

The girl rolled her eyes. "I'm not gonna force him to go to a zombie infested farm and leave him defenseless."

Reyna snorted. "Fair."

"He could attack us!" the blonde boy exploded.

"He doesn't have a gun," she replied, her tone calm, but her eyes colder.

"Whatever," grumbled Jason. He had a short golden sword at his side and a gun strapped to his thigh. Percy saw a handle of a knife on his right bicep. His eyes were icy as he stared at the raven haired boy.

Reyna looked badass. She had two pistols on her sides, and a spear strapped to her back. She was twirling a long golden dagger in her right hand, her dark eyes glittering.

"Ready?" she asked, smirking wickedly. Her dark eyes bore into Jason, who stared at her adoringly. He wrapped an arm around her and pecked her lips. Percy stared, surprised. The stoic blonde never seemed to show his emotions. It was always anger or cautiousness. He was kinda like how Percy would've thought Romans would've acted. Jason was a Roman.

"Yeah," he responded gruffly, a dopey smile on his face, and Percy smiled a little. Happiness was rare in the world they live in now, and it was refreshing to see it.

The blonde boy led the way, Annabeth talking to him about strategies, her hands waving around as her lips moved quickly. Percy noticed Reyna hung back.

"Hey," she greeted and nudged him. He grinned.

"Sup," he said. He elbowed her lightly in the side, his smile turning mischievous.

"Nervous?" she asked. A dark eyebrow was raised.

"Yeah," he confessed. "I don't want to become a monster. And I don't want to watch you guys become one too."

She smirked. "We won't. We're too awesome." She laughed.

"Go to your smitten boyfriend," Annabeth fell back, emphasizing the word boyfriend. Her expression was stormy and held something Percy couldn't identify.

Reyna raised her eyebrows. Then chuckled before muttering something about jealousy and obliviousness. She strides up to Jason before tackling him from behind.

"Hey," Percy said, staring at the two teenagers. Because that was what they were. The world may have hardened them, but in the end, they were still teens. They weren't indestructible. They weren't superheroes. They were normal.

"Penny for your thoughts," the blonde girl said, grey meeting green.

"Penny isn't worth it," Percy chuckled. "I have way too many just for a penny. It costs at least a dollar."

Annabeth chuckled too. Ironic because money doesn't matter anymore. It was just green paper with people's faces. It held no value to anyone.

"And here she is," Jason's voice broke the silence. He stared proudly at a dark red pickup truck. The car had a few dents and a huge area to carry things. That's why they got a pickup truck, mused Percy. So they can get more things out of raids.

Percy's eyes widened. "You have a truck? And it still runs?"

"Yup," the blonde said, patting the hood. "Leo is an awesome mechanic. He made a lot of awesome upgrades. Bulletproof windows, off-road wheels, take a lots of hits. He wanted to install weapons too, but we all declined. We didn't want him to blow up the car."

Percy's eyes grew as big as saucers. "How the hell did you get bullet proof glass?

"Our last place we stayed in, we were by a science lab," answered Annabeth. "Leo, Frank, and Hazel went and checked it out. They barely made it, but it was worth it."

Jason climbed in the front seat, Annabeth in the passenger seat. Percy felt a stab of jealousy. Why was she always by Jason? The raven haired boy hopped in the back, Reyna following him. The wind blew through his hair as he fingered the hilt of his sword. Reyna started asking him questions, and they started talking about his life on the run. He observed that every time the blonde girl looked back, her expression turned more stony

"We're here," announced Annabeth. Percy looked around. It was a huge farm with a high fence that had barbed wire facing the outside. The raven haired boy saw some movement, and his hand drifted to Riptide. He crept over to check it out.

Percy breathed a sigh of relief. It was just a cow. A whole, healthy looking cow. Not just one.

"Guys," he called. "You have to see this."

The other three ran towards him. They stared. Inside were four cows, a handful of chickens, two roosters, and three pigs. The water supply was fresh, and the food was still there.

"Whoever lived here must've lasted a long time, or he's still living," breathed Jason. "Follow me."

The blonde boy unstrapped his gun and held it in both hands. Annabeth grabbed her dagger while Reyna grabbed both her pistols. Percy unsheathed his sword, nervously swinging it around.

Here's another chance to escape. He could run off now. Or he could kill these three, kill some animals, cook the meat, smoke the rest of it and run. It would be so easy. He could do it now.

And just like all the other times, he didn't. And he didn't know why. Why didn't he take any of these chances?

Jason kicked the door open to the barn. He stuck his gun up, finger tensed, but all he found were ripped up corpses. Five men, two women, and four children.

Percy shook his head and silently mourned. They didn't deserve this. No one did.

"They look fresh," Reyna observed. "They lasted long. Long enough to keep all their animals alive."

"I'd say we kill some of them. Bring the meat home, grab some seeds, and leave. The walkers could come back anytime," voiced Jason.

"No," disagreed Annabeth. "The smarter idea would be taking all of the animals. They could breed, and we would have fresh meat. We could grab a bunch of seeds and then leave."

"How are we gonna get all the animals back?" questioned Percy. "The car isn't big enough."

"Yeah," interrupted Reyna. "But this is."

The other three walked to where she was. It was a big roomy trailer with small holes in the wall and a ramp turned door. One of those things that transports cows. He noticed how it could be hooked to the back of their pickup truck.

"You sure it'll hold?" questioned Jason, gazing at the huge transportation system.

"We can try," shrugged Annabeth. "And if it does come off, we can kill a cow, and bring home some chickens and seeds. It'll be fine. The back is large enough to fit that."

"Let's start herding," prompted Percy, walking by the closest cow to the trailer and started ushering it to the truck. It took a while, but he finally got it.

The boy noticed the others staring at him. "What? Aren't you gonna help?"

That kicked Jason into action. He wouldn't be outdone by an outsider. Especially one who's taken a liking to his girlfriend.

The blonde boy would never admit that he made cooing noises and faces to draw the chickens to the trailer. He didn't! What are you talking about?

After a long half an hour, everyone was sweating lightly, very stinky, but had an air of achievement. Jason had backed up the truck to the trailer.

The two boys had just started to hook it up to their pickup when Percy heard a moan. He whipped his head to the side, green eyes narrowed. Crawlers moaned like that.

He heard another and then some rustling. Jason stood up, a smirk on his face. He was about to ask why Percy wasn't doing anything until he saw the taller boy looking around wildly. Then he heard the noises. The blonde silently took out his gun, finger poised on the trigger.

Percy's hand drifted to his sword, ears straining to hear anything else. He noticed that Reyna took out her two pistols, and Annabeth held her shotgun ready.

Percy turned. His sea green eyes widened. "Behind you!"

Annabeth whipped around and fired a load of lead into the walker's torso. It stumbled back. She unsheathed her knife and started slashing. Percy watched with a raised eyebrow as the head rolled off. Impressive.

"I hear more," warned Jason. "We need to get to the car."

Percy crept out of the barn. His eyes widened. "We need to go. Now!"

He sounded horrified. Outside of the barn was a huge mob. Some of them carried weapons. Oh god. Were there runners in there? Runners are the most dangerous. They were the ones that had enough will to keep fighting. But the virus will always win. Always. When the virus took them, they kept part of their humanity. They were smart, fast, strong, strategic. There weren't a lot, but if you ever encounter one, pray that you are still alive.

Percy started swinging Riptide at everything that came close. He loped off heads right and left. He vaguely registered the gunfire behind him. They were going to be overwhelmed! They needed to get to the car.

Annabeth cursed. Stupid gun, out of ammo. She unstrapped her pistol. She shot and shot and shot. The blonde girl felt a hand close around her ankle. She looked down and saw a crawler holding onto her. Annabeth shrieked and started shaking the ankle frantically. She couldn't shoot, she'd risk hitting her foot. Her hand whipped out her knife, and she stabbed the head over and over until it was motionless.

Reyna was doing fine. Right and left she shot, taking down a zombie with each one. She spun and took out one right behind Jason's back.

Jason heard a gunshot whiz behind him and spun around. He saw the zombie fall and breathed a sigh of relief. Then he felt a piercing pain in his ankle. The blonde boy cried out and crumpled, almost blacking out from the pain.

Percy knew the group was getting smaller and smaller. But there were more coming. He heard a cry behind him and saw Jason fall to the ground. His ankle was bleeding. Did he get bitten?

"We need to get to the truck!" shouted Reyna. "Jason's hurt! We won't last much longer."

Percy panicked and looked around. The keys were still in the car. He could take off. Drive with the animals and have plenty off meat. He just had to run now. Leave them.

Then he saw Reyna standing over Jason. He face was screwed up in pain. Annabeth was defending them with her gun. Her face was emotionless, just standing there shorting over and over again. Her ponytail was whipping around.

And Percy knew he couldn't leave them. He was better then this. He rushed over to the blonde boy and heaved him up in his arms.

"Defend us!" shouted Percy over the noise. "I'll carry him!"

Reyna looked at him suspiciously, but didn't hesitate. She took out her spear and started stabbing anything that came near him.

The raven haired boy struggled to bring the blonde to the car. He was heavy. Jason was moaning in pain, eyes tightly closed. How the hell did he get shot? None of the zombies had any guns. They were too rare, and the creatures didn't really spend time looking for ammo.

He lifted Jason in the passenger seat. "Stay with me."

All he got was a groan. Percy turned around, ready to go back to the girls and get them to the car. But something stood in his way. No, someone stood in his way. Someone with a dangerous looking gun.

"You attracted them here! I was just fine until you decided to come steal all my animals!" the person yelled angrily. It was a boy. Probably around Percy's age. He had shaggy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Tan skin wrapped around defined muscles. Lean and a dangerous air with a sniper. A sniper?

"They were dead!" shouted Percy, surprised that another person was here.

"That was my family," the boy's voice cracked. "I'm the only one left! Those animals we're food! And you took them!"

Percy was about to say something back, but he saw the two girls running to the car.

"Annabeth, you're driving!" he yelled and hopped in the back. He held a hand out for Reyna to grab. Then he noticed the blonde boy.

"Come on!" the teen yelled. But the boy didn't move. I'm gonna regret this, Percy thought as he jumped out of the truck. He ran to the boy and basically threw him into the back. He jumped just as a zombie was on him.

"What the hell, Percy?" screamed Reyna, surprised that a third person was in there. He ignored her.

"Drive!" he yelled, and Annabeth took off. The poor cows must be like, what the heck is happening.

He was breathing heavily, and his heart was pounding like crazy. He stared at the boy he just saved, who stared back.

"Will," he said. "Will Solace. Thank you for not leaving me behind."

"Percy," responded the teen. "Percy Jackson." His face screwed up as he said his last name, his memory going back to his mother.

Will nodded, his face going sympathetic. "Where are we going?"

"Home," answered Percy. "We're going home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So here is the second chapter. I know nothing about vehicles, but if I get something wrong, don't get mad. I imagined them to have a dark red pickup truck with lots of dents. Two seats in front. In the trunk thing, there are things like benches where you can sit on. That is where Percy and Reyna sat. I don't know if you can hook up those cow trailers to it, but in my story you can. It's the future. Deal with it. And we met Will! Aw, can't wait till he meets Nico. It was implied that Will shot Jason because he had a sniper and none of the zombies had guns. Oh and the bulletproof glass thing? Leo is special. And they found bulletproof glass. Don't ask me where. I don't know. Percy adjusted fast because he is so loyal and good. It's not exactly home yet though. Tell me what you think, like, and what I can fix in the reviews. See ya!


	3. Convincing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "C'mon, Jay," she muttered, hands gripping the side of the truck tightly. "Stay with me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Finding Home
> 
> Fandom: Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or Heroes of Olympus, sadly. Rick Riordan does. No money is made, but I do like reviews!

Chapter 3: Convincing

Reyna looked at her blonde boyfriend through the back, concern etched in her features. Jason was pale and sweating profusely. His ankle was wrapped up with a piece of cloth, but that didn't do much to stop the bleeding. He was moaning and gripping his ankle, eyes shut tightly.

"C'mon, Jay," she muttered, hands gripping the side of the truck tightly. "Stay with me."

Percy held on tightly as Annabeth made another sharp turn. She was really pressing on the gas pedal. Hurry, he thought, mind going to the blonde boy in front.

Will was holding his sniper tightly, finger poised on the trigger. He didn't know these people. He didn't know what they would do. Why'd the raven haired boy save him?

Finally, Percy saw the prison come into sight. His muscles relaxed a little. They were fine. Mostly fine at least. Maybe a little scratches here and there, but alive.

Annabeth stomped on the gas pedal, going as fast as she could. Jason may not have much time. Oh god, who was going to treat him? They had no doctors or someone with a doctor experience.

Nico opened the gates just in time. The truck sped past him. What the hell was that attached to the back? A damn cow trailer?

Annabeth stopped the truck and hopped out. She went to the driver's side and opened the door.

"We gotta get him inside," shouted Percy, nudging her out of the way. He lifted up Jason with a grunt. He was heavy! Like a pile of bricks.

"What the hell happened to him?" Nico asked, rushing over to help the older boy carry Jason.

"Gunshot," grunted the raven haired boy.

"How the hell did he get a gunshot wound," Nico said in disbelief. They carried him in the prison. He noticed that a person that didn't leave here looked at the ground. He was armed with a sniper.

"This way," directed Annabeth. They took him into a room that had a metal table and dumped the injured boy on there.

"I can help him," volunteered an unfamiliar voice. Nico watched with narrowed eyes as the blonde boy maneuvered his way to Jason, blue eyes scanning the wound. "I have experience in some medical stuff."

"Who is he?" asked Nico. "Why is he here? We already brought home a stray. We don't need another one."

"Don't be such a downer," the blonde boy responded, narrowing his blue eyes at the boy.

"It's not my fault I don't want to starve to death from lack of supplies," snarked Nico, sneering. The other boy was a little bit shorter than him, with shaggy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He was tan and lean with some muscle definition.

"I'd treat me better," he grinned. "I do have something you want." He reached in his pocket and grabbed a bag of something. Seeds. Annabeth's eyes widened.

"I know how to plant them," continued the shorter boy, shaking the packet. "I can help you guys out. What's there to lose? Your friend gets medical help, and you get fresh fruit and vegetables."

"What's in it for you?" Nico suspiciously asked. "No one does anything for free now."

The sunny boy shrugged, an easygoing smile playing on his lips. "I just wanna stay here. So I can help farm the stuff. Is that so bad?"

The taller boy turned and went to one of the drawers, muttering under his breath and scowling. He turned around with a first aid kit in his hand.

"Fix him," he demanded. "You were the one who shot him."

"How do you know I shot him?" the blonde asked in disbelief.

"Observation skills," Nico smirked dryly. "And you just confessed."

"Fair enough," the shorter boy said, easy going smile back. Did anything faze him?

"I need tweezers," ordered the doctor, holding his hand out. "And I need you guys to hold him down. Do you guys have anything to numb the pain?"

Annabeth shared a look with Reyna before nodding. "Not a lot, but this is a situation that needs it. Pills. Benzocaine tropical." The girl reaches a padlocked cabinet. She unlocks it and comes out with a bottle of pills.

"Where'd you get that?" asked Percy, confusion written across his face.

"Outlet mall," answered Annabeth, face screwing up in pain a little. "Stopped at a pharmacy and grabbed a bunch of stuff. Lots of it was lost though because we lost some people."

Will payed no mind to their conversation. "Jason, you have to swallow this," he said, taking out one pill. "It'll help with the pain."

Jason was moaning, forehead beaded with sweat. He nodded slightly, and Will carefully put the pill in the blonde's grasp. Jason dumped it in his mouth and swallowed it dry.

Will winced. He should of given him something to drink. Whoops.

"Tweezers," he ordered. "I also need a needle and thread. I have to stitch him up."

Jason relaxed on the table. The pain numbing seemed to be helping. Nico pressed a pair of tweezers in his hand, and Reyna carefully unwrapped the makeshift bandage. Underneath, it was bloody. Some was crusting, and you could make out a small hole.

"Washcloth," he said. Annabeth ran to the kitchen and came back with a wet washcloth. Will carefully wiped the blood of the wound. "I need you guys to hold him down. Just in case."

Percy took the injured leg while Nico got the other. The two girls went up by his arms just in case the blonde tried to thrash around. Will took a deep breath.

It took a long time, but the bullet was finally out. He rummaged through the first aid kit before triumphantly holding up some antiseptic. He applied it before attaching the string to the needle. No one turned away as he started stitching up Jason. They've seen far worse in this world.

"Done," announced Will, breathing a sigh of relief. "He won't be able to do much for a few days. We wouldn't want to rip the stitches."

Reyna nodded. "Jackson, help me carry him to his cell. He's drugged right now, and we don't want anything bad happening."

"Jackson?" asked Percy as the picked up the blonde, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yup," smirked Reyna. They carried him out of the room, Annabeth following. Which left Nico and and the stranger alone.

"Who are you," questioned Nico, narrowing his eyes and placing his hand on his very noticeable sword. A mean looking sword.

The other boy backed up and held his hands up in a surrender gesture. "Woah. I'm not an enemy. Name's Will Solace."

Nico eyed the hand that stuck out. He ignored it and stared at Will, dark eyes cutting in his soul. He noticed the sniper strapped to his shoulder, and a knife handle sticking out from his left thigh.

"Hand me your weapon," Nico ordered, holding his hand out.

"What," Will looked disbelieving. "No!" He clutched his gun tightly.

"If you want to stay here, you're gonna start by handing me your weapon," said the pale boy, growing irritated.

"I'm the one with the seeds," shot back the blonde. "And probably the only one who can grow them."

The other boy arched an eyebrow. "You'd have the best chance here. All you have to do is give me the damn sniper."

Will sighed and reluctantly handed over the gun. The taller boy gripped it and slung it over his shoulder. "You can get this back once you prove you're not dangerous. Now the knife."

"What knife?"

"I can see it sticking out of its sheath. Give me the knife before I get impatient and knock you out."

Will huffed before handing the boy the blade, scowling slightly. He gripped the handle and clipped it on his utility belt.

"Now hands behind your back."

"Why," asked Will, turning around, expression confused. His answer was answered by the sound of handcuffs clipping. "Hey!"

"Safety precautions," the other boy shrugged. "Go forward."

He directed the blonde to a cellblock. "You'll be staying by the cell next to Percy. You both are one cellblock from us because we don't know your motives. Welcome to your new room."

Will scoffed. "Room?" He looked around. A bare room with a bunk bed and a toilet coupled with a sink. Not much.

"Yeah. Room," The pale boy arched an eyebrow. He nudged the smaller boy inside, and unlocked the cuffs before shutting the barred door. "Make yourself at home."

Will watched the boy walk by the door that they came from. He looked down the hallway and saw a door with a skull on it. "What's the skull mean?"

"Means we haven't cleared that part of the prison yet. Still has zombies, so it's not safe," answered his guard answered, collapsing in a chair and closing his eyes. "Don't go in there unless you have a death wish."

"Trust me, I may in a few days," muttered the blonde. He actually looked at the bigger boy, since the other boy's eyes were closed. Dark wavy hair, almost black. Will knew that he had dark eyes that look like an endless abyss. Those eyes had pierced his walls a few moments ago. He was pretty tall, a little taller than Will. Defined muscles wrapped by olive skin. He looked Italian.

"You never told me your name," called out Will, feeling slightly more confident. The Italian cracked an eye.

"Nico," he answered, seeming to think about it for a few moments. "Nico di Angelo."

Will nodded before walking to his bed, laying down. Millions of thoughts raced through his head, but they were quickly silenced as he fell deep asleep.

_/Line Break\_

"You didn't run."

Percy turned around surprised as Annabeth's eyes were studying him. Trying to figure out why he didn't run.

"Why?" she asked as they walked around the prison. She realized that he didn't have any cuffs on, but quickly forgot when the raven haired boy answered.

"Honestly, I'm still trying to figure that out myself," Percy answered honestly. "I've had a few chances, but I didn't take them. And I don't know why."

Annabeth's eyebrows knitted together as they entered his cellblock. Nico jumped up from his chair, sword already drawn. It looked like he was just sleeping.

Annabeth waved him off as she opened the cell. Percy entered it and sat on the bottom bunk. She stared at him before starting to walk towards the door.

"Maybe you want to stay," she said before exiting. Percy stared after her, disbelief written on his face. He didn't! It was easier to be alone, no one can weigh you down. Wanting to stay here was ridiculous. Right?

_/Line Break\_

Annabeth walked out of the cell, mulling over what she just said. Well, he probably did. So many chances to take off, yet he didn't.

"Annabeth!" a curly haired imp said, grinning. "Sup?"

"Leo," she greeted. "I need your help."

"Sure," Leo shrugged. "With what? Do you need Frank and Hazel?"

"That would be great," the blonde nodded. "We need to put these damn animals somewhere."

"I've got an idea!" Leo said, face lighting up. "We can put each of the animals in different cellblocks."

Annabeth frowned. "I dunno if that'll be safe. Will it?"

"Just as safe as us," assured Leo, face lighting up. "I can make some adjustments."

He walked off, muttering things under his breath. His brow was furrowed, and he was counting off things on his fingers.

Annabeth started walking to the probation cellblock, which is what they started calling the cellblock with Percy and Will. She poked her head inside, and smiled as she saw the blonde snoring away in his bunk.

Percy was laying on his bunk. His breaths were even and deep. He drools, Annabeth smiled softly. He was cute, and she thinks she can convince him to stay. He was halfway there already. She could do it. Because she couldn't leave him outside again. Never.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So, this took a while to finish. Will was introduced, and looks like he might be developing a crush. Haha. Solangelo! Tell me what you think, like, and what I can fix in the reviews. See ya!


	4. Strangers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy's eyebrows scrunched together. "What's that supposed to mean?" Jason opened his mouth to reply, but the raven haired boy interrupted. "Are you kicking me out?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Finding Home
> 
> Fandom: Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or Heroes of Olympus, sadly. Rick Riordan does. No money is mad, but I do like reviews!

Chapter 4: Strangers

Percy watched with furrowed eyebrows as Will dug a hole before putting some seeds in. The blonde's tongue stuck out in concentration. Then he sighed.

"Percy, can you please stop staring? It's making me nervous."

"Sorry," muttered Percy, sheepish smile creeping on his face. "I just wanted to see if this works."

"It's not like the fruit and vegetables are gonna pop out of the ground right as I move on," Will said, rolling his eyes. "You probably have to wait a long time."

Percy sighed. "Where's Leo?" he whined. The boy had gotten close to the hyperactive mechanic after a month staying here. The Latino was a funny person to be around, and had as much energy as Percy.

"I don't know, Percy," Will sighed, tone annoyed. "I'm kinda in the middle of something."

"At least Leo is nice to me," grumbled the older boy, scowling. "You're mean. No wonder you get along with Nico."

Will's cheeks tinted pink at the mention of the pale boy. He turned away as to hide the fact. "Get along? He's my guard, and I'm the prisoner. We don't get along."

"Okay," snorted Percy, unconvinced. He knew that was a lie. The two had started talking late at night. Will would always sit by Nico at mealtimes. The Italian wouldn't leave the doctor's side. They were attached to the hip.

Percy stood there for a few minutes, just watching Will plant seeds. It was boring. He was about to leave when something tackled him. No, not something. Someone.

"Percy!" grinned a curly haired boy. "I was looking all over for you!" The Latino held out one of his weird inventions.

"What is that?" asked the raven haired boy, scared of the answer. More than once, Leo's inventions exploded. Actually, more than half of the time it exploded. It made Percy cautious around the mechanic.

"It's a-," Leo paused, expression thoughtful. "Um, it's called..uh. Ooh! It's called the Valdezanator!"

"And what does it do?" asked Percy, slowly backing away from the imp. He didn't want anything burnt off.

Percy's eyes widened. "Uh, Leo? I have a bad feeling about this."

"Nonsense," snorted Leo and waved off the taller boy. "I'll give you a demonstration. Follow meeeee!"

He started running towards the entrance gate, and Percy sprinted after the Latino. The raven haired boy caught up to Leo, and kept a distance away from the machine in his hand.

"Watch," he told the other boy before holding the button down. Percy could hear some whirring inside the weird looking thing, and waited for something to happen. Nothing happened.

"Hmm," frowned Leo. "That's strange. Maybe if I..."

He turned the part where the barrel was. The Latino started lifting it towards his eye, and Percy's eyes widened in fear as he heard that whirring again.

"Leo!" he warned and startled the younger boy, who pointed the dangerous side towards his torso. And that's when it exploded.

It wasn't a big one. It just burst into flames. In the boy's hand. Leo yelped and dropped it before waving his hand around wildly while Percy stamped out the fire.

He heard footsteps and saw Frank and Hazel emerge from the watch tower. She saw Leo cradling his hand and immediately ran over.

"What happened?" she said, going into overprotective mode. She started checking his hand, which was a little red.

"Nothing," yelped Leo, blushing brightly as Frank's arms encircled his waist protectively. "Just another experiment gone wrong."

"You weren't watching him," accused Frank, looking at Percy with narrowed eyes. "You're supposed to be watching him!"

"I don't need a babysitter," protested Leo, wriggling in the Asian's grip, who just held him tighter. "Aww, c'mon Frank!"

The tall boy rested his chin on Leo's head full of curls, obviously not letting go. Hazel was still worried.

"C'mon," she fussed, ushering him up into the watch tower. "You can hang out with Frank and I."

Leo turned doe eyes on Percy and mouthed 'help me'. Percy just smiled and shook his head. Perhaps the Latino needed the push to act on his feelings.

_/Line Break\_

Percy was panting as he blocked yet another strike of Annabeth's knife. He could feel the sweat trickling down his face as his green eyes were narrowed in concentration. She was really good. Especially with a shorter blade.

He lunged, but she danced out of the way before doing a roundhouse kick to his face. It connected, and Percy's face snapped back. He shook his head as Annabeth let him recover.

Annabeth rushed to him and struck at his side, while he parried and locked his blade against the dagger. His left hand shot up and grabbed her wrist before twisting, careful not to put to much pressure. Her bronze blade clattered to the floor as he spun her around before pinning her hands behind her back with his left hand and pressing her up against the wall.

"Got you," he whispered in her ear, and she shivered as she felt his hot breath on the shell of the ear.

He was breathing heavily, and his face was close to her cheek. He just noticed how close together they were and loosened his hold. That's when Annabeth struck.

She pushed off the wall while he was distracted and swept her legs under his feet. He fell on his back with a pained grunt before she grabbed her knife and straddled him while holding the knife to his throat. Her hand held down his sword arm, and he struggled from under her.

"Yield," the blonde smirked. Percy scowled.

"You got lucky!"

"Lucky?" replied Annabeth indignantly. "I beat you fair and square."

Percy opened his mouth to snark back, but instead heard a sound that chilled his blood. A ringing sound.

"Zombie attack?" he asked as she got off of him, her cheeks tinted red. "I thought this place was safe?"

She held her hand up to silence him. The bell rang another time before silencing. "Intruders? Human intruders."

They shared a look before grabbing their respective weapon and running outside. Jason and Reyna were already there. The couple turned towards them.

Will and Nico came next. Will was grinning broadly with a streak of dirt on his cheek while Nico was scowling. Strangely, there was dirt in his hair.

Piper was on watch duty, and she ran down from the tower. "Two kids are down by the gate!" she shouted. "They have a bunch of walkers on their tails!"

That's when Hazel, Frank, and Leo burst out the door. Hazel's face was a deep red while her hair was crazy. Leo wouldn't make eye contact at anyone, and his shirt was on inside out. Frank was the only normal one, aside from the predatory grin.

Percy made a mental note to ask his friend later and turned towards Jason. "Are we just gonna stand here? There are people out there!"

Jason stood still. Percy's eyes widened as he realized what the blonde was thinking.

"We can't just let them die!" he screamed. "We can help them!"

"We can't pick up every stray that comes by!" Jason retaliated, his tone defensive. "I have people to worry about. I have to get us food too!"

"So you're just gonna let them die," Percy said, eyes showing disappointment. "Right outside our home, and we could've saved them."

"It's not your home!" exploded the blonde. All the stress that was carrying him down exploded. "You never wanted to be here! Why are you calling it your home now? Your still on probation!"

Percy froze, mouth hanging open. Then his eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth again to retaliate, but Annabeth and Reyna stopped them.

"What's our plan of action?" asked Reyna, silencing both of the boys. "We don't have a lot of time."

Jason stood still, mouth pressed into a firm line. He took a look around, eyeing every teen here. Most of them were alone at first before Jason took them in. The blonde groaned.

"Go," he said, motioning towards Percy. Percy just smiled before running over to the gate and unlocking it. He grabbed Riptide before rushing outside.

There were two teenagers, around his age. They looked like death had run over them. The girl had stringy brown hair that went down to her shoulders. It was choppy, like she had cut it with a knife. She had grimy dirt skin that was wrapped around defined muscles. There was a cut on the bottom of her chin that was leaking blood, and she was swinging a sword around wildly, teeth bared.

From what Percy could see, it looked like she was protecting the taller boy by her side. He had dark dirty hair and had a Hispanic look to him. His left leg was bandaged, his skin was pale, and it looked like he was barely staying awake. It looked like he was in pain. The girl was supporting him while fighting off around ten walkers.

Percy rushed over and started hacking away at the creatures surrounding the two teens. The girl looked surprised for a brief second before shrugging it off and fighting along side him. Once they disposed of the walkers, Percy put the boy's arm around his shoulder and led them back to the gate.

The others ran over to help them as soon as they walked through. The brunette had moved out of the way as soon as Will ushered her and took the boy's arm and placed it around his shoulder, dragging him to the prison. The group stumbled along, asking the girl questions. But she just kept her mouth in a firm line, face stony and guarded. They finally gave up when they set the boy on the table, the exact same one Jason was on a few weeks ago.

The girl collapsed on a chair as soon as Will, Percy, and Jason started exchanging words. She looked like she was fighting to stay awake. As they started replacing the bandages on his leg, the girl's eyes fluttered closed as her body relaxed. She must be exhausted.

"What do we do now?" Percy asked, addressing Jason, who pursed his lips. Will had just finished with the new bandages, and told Jason to tell him when the boy woke up. The rest of the group had followed, leaving the two boys alone.

"I think," he said, and hesitated. "I think we should put them in your cell."

Percy's eyebrows scrunched together. "What's that supposed to mean?" Jason opened his mouth to reply, but the raven haired boy interrupted. "Are you kicking me out?"

Jason froze before bursting into laughter. "Kicking you out?" Percy nodded, his face a little scared. "No, Annabeth would never let me do that."

Percy visibly relaxed. Without meaning for it to happen, he'd gotten attached to these children. Leo and his crazy exploding inventions, Piper and her delicious cooking, Frank and his overprotectiveness, Hazel and her motherly attitude, Nico and hhis annoyance with a blonde doctor, Will being obsessed with Nico, Reyna and her badassness. Even Jason!

And Annabeth. The teen didn't know how to explain her. She was...Annabeth. The girl who saved him, took him in, gave him a home and something to live for. Made him remember what family and friendship was like.

"Then, where am I gonna sleep," questioned Percy, eyebrows knitting together as he made a confused face. Jason chuckled.

"You're oblivious," he snorted through his laughter. "You're coming to our cellblock. You've proved yourself more than once. You can have the one by Annabeth's."

Percy turned pink as he heard her name, and turned to hide it. "Really?"

Jason chuckled. "You really are a seaweed brain, as Annabeth puts it."

Percy smiled at the nickname. A Seaweed Brain and a Wise Girl. The nickname was very fitting to her. She was hungry for knowledge. Annabeth was the one who was looking to find a cure. Percy didn't believe there was one though.

The boy heard movement from behind him, and tensed before turning lightning quick. The girl was up. Her dark eyes were defiant and angry as her jaw was clenched. She was an experienced fighter, Percy guessed by the way she held herself. And she cared a lot about the boy on the table.

"We aren't going to hurt him," Percy spoke slowly, holding both his hands up in a peace gesture. "We're helping him."

The girl remained eerily silent, so Percy stepped back in case she tried to do something. "What's your name?"

Still silent, she folded her arms under her chest. Percy noted how dirty and thin she was. Was that how he looked when he first came here?

Jason shook his head. "It's no use," he warned. "Maybe he'll answer when he wakes up."

Percy nodded, keeping his eyes on the brunette. "How long do you think it'll be until he wakes up?" he asked. He turned sideways to examine the boy laying on the table, while keeping a close eye on the girl.

She glared at him and made a noise at the back of her throat. Percy swallowed. It sounded a lot like an animal. More animal then human. His hand subconsciously drifted to his sword on his waist, and her eyes tracked the movement. When it landed on the hilt, she bared her teeth, eyes on fire.

Percy quickly removed his hand, but it was too late. She lunged at him, but he was ready. He sidestepped, and she went past him. The girl turned around, body stance rigid. And Percy knew this girl knew how to fight. She was like a bull, all strength and fury.

Jason made a step towards the two teens, but the other boy shook his head. His ankle was still a little sore, and Percy didn't want him getting hurt. Reluctantly, the blonde stepped away.

Percy and the brunette circles each other. He was on the defensive. She tensed before throwing a right hook at his face. The raven haired boy ducked before throwing a firm punch at her midsection. That only made her angrier. She threw punch after lunch, but soon grew tired. Now was his time to strike.

Percy swept his legs underneath hers, and she was half a second to late to notice and fell on her back. He quickly turned and grabbed a pair on handcuffs which were laying on the counter beside him before forcing her wrists together and cuffing her lightning quick, wrists in front. Percy took a step back to admire his handiwork.

"Nice," Jason complimented weakly. He was a little pale underneath his tan, and you could see the worry shining from his eyes.

Percy nodded before heaving the girl up. "I'm gonna take her to her cell," he informed the boy before leading her out. He had to keep jabbing her in the back to keep her going before they finally reached the cell.

Percy made a move to unlock the cuffs before turning pale. He started patting his pockets and turning them inside out before cursing loudly.

"I have no idea where the keys are," he muttered. The boy closed the door, feeling a pang of guilt for leaving the girl in there with handcuffs on, knowing how they rubbed against your skin, but knew no other alternative.

"Crap," he cursed before running back to go ask Jason if he knew where the keys were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I'm not dead guys!! Thank god. Finished chapter right here. That took a long time, but I decided to suck it up and finish it. Losing the keys would be a Percy thing to do, right? Well, tell me what you think, like, and what I can fix in the reviews. See ya!


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